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Tons and Tons

Today a piece of history was made. Today a feat that has never been achieved before, and may possibly never be achieved again, was achieved. After over a year of waiting, it finally happened. Sachin Tendulkar scored his hundredth hundred in international cricket.

This is a massive achievement. It is hard to think of a parallel in another sport, it is an insane thing to have done.

It explains a little bit about why Indians, and quite a few others, regard ‘the little master’ as the greatest cricketer of all time. Sachin has now got all sorts of records in terms of his cricketing. The most hundreds scored in test matches and one day internationals, the most runs scored in internationals, the most capped player, the list goes on and on.

Image via Wikipedia

People speak with joy when they talk about watching him bat, talk about his genius, his skill and a way that Sachin just knows cricket. For the past year, evr since he scored a century against South Africa in the world cup, people have been waiting to see Sachin get another ton. A some points there were fears that it might not happen, but it now has.

How did Tendulkar manage to do this feat? Well it doesn’t hurt that he started playing international test cricket at age 16. Now at 38 he is still going strong. It is the perfect arguement for “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough” mentality, that age isn’t a part of every desicion that needs to be made. At Chennai Challenge we agree with that. This year our team going to India has teenagers, people in their 20’s, 50’s and 60’s. A huge range of ages. All of different experience, but all willing to push themselves a little bit, to help some one else.

When Sachin started playing cricket, I doubt he was thinking “I am going to be the best ever”, or “I will do things no-one else will”, he just played cricket because he loved it. This year our team may not have started thinking ” I will do great things”, or “I will do things no-one else will”, but they might just do that. Not in the same way that Sachin has, but the impact on the impoverished people they meet and help in Chennai could have a huge and profound effect, and if they hadn’t done it, then who would have?